Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-05-12
In CAMP and FIELD.
A Medical Mans Memory Of War Time,
BY G. b. JOHNSON.
Copyrighted, 1887, By The a. y. Kellogg Nesrspa-
per Company


In passing over hill the dead body of an
artilleryman was seen who had just been
1 killed by a musket ball on the very spot
! upon which the writer stood moment be.
| fore. Passing forward it was found the
regiment had advanced. The firing
from the Confederates had now
| dwindled down to an occasional
cannon shot and a few whistling
bullets. One Of the latter came in close
| proximity of the writer as he passed over
! another hill, it struck a little sycamore
bush just to his right At the foot of the
hill lay regiment of infantry and just be-
! hind it fell several cannon balls, these the
writer saw coming through the air in his
front and knocking of limbs Of trees as
! they descended.
| The sun was so low, and before reaching
the regiment four men were met, Just from
! it, bearing upon a stretcher one of the off,
GERS who had received an ugly wound in
the hip from grape shot. The party were
conducted to farm house, where the
wounded man was properly cared for.
The country all about Grand Gulf, Miss,
IS billy and broken up into ravines and hol-
lows.
A little west of Port Gibson the road to
the river divides and two roadways, for a
number Of miles, follow along two lines of
ridges.
Upon either of these roads General
Bowen, in command of the Confederate
forces, took position five miles from Port
Gibson the night of April 30, 1863.
Here he encountered the Federals May l,
was driven back with considerable loss,
ana just before night made stand with a
small part of his force two miles from Port
Gibson while his main army retreated.
During the night of May /, thelast Confed-
crate withdrew beyond Bayou Pierre, and
the bridge behind was burned.
The same night the Federals slept on
their arms, with orders to renew the con-
fiict early in the morning.
When morning came, however, it was
found there was no enemy near.
The night of May 1, 1868, is as indelibly
impressed on the writer's memory as the
previous days battle. Through the day
the excitement, the novelty of being for
the first time under fire, the many strange
and interesting things incident to battle,
made the whole experience rather pleas
urable than otherwise. But night brought
any thing but pleasurable experiences. As
before stated, the knapsacks blankets and
all of the kind had been left behind. And
as the nights in the South, even in the
warmest weather, are COOL much discom-
fort was experienced for want of some
thing in the way of covering.
A rubber blanket was shared with COM
panion, but this seemed to catch all the
dew and moisture there was in the atmos-
phere, and from it's surface was absorbed
by one's clothing. Under the circum-
stances sleep was broken, and in wakeful
hours the mind naturally dwelt upon the
horrible in the previous days history.
Thoughts something as follows had free
course through the writer's brain:
well the regiment for six months has
been wanting to be in battle, and now
it's been in one and not a hard one either,
but there is probably not man but next
time will cheerfuly take some other fell
lows word for it and stay out himself if he
can do 80 honorably. Then those dead fell
lows lying beside the road just like they
were slaughtered hogs or sheep. And
besides how pitiously the wounded moaned
and how horribly their poor MANNED limbs
and gaping wounds looked. There may
be lots of glory in war but it isn't so
radiant nor very appar ent at about one
o'clock the next orning after battle"
However the mornings sun of May Q
came up warm, bright and beautiful; some
strong coffee was taken, when word came
in that the Confederates were badly de-
feated the day before and had all returned
from our front, and that we were to fell
low Immediately. At this time young
confederate soldier turned up, but from
just where no one knew. One of the
surgeons however tapped him on the
shoulder saying: "You are my prisoner"
He like Barkis was tctlhlg and was at once
turned over to the proper authorities.
All fell In line and were soon on the road
to Port Gibson. A little way along the
route, the place where the Confederates
made their last stand was seen; this was
at the top of hill, and by the roadside
near pile Of rails, lay dead Confederate.
He seemed to have been a tall, lank fellow,
typical specimen, and though the wealth
er was as warm as June in the North,
there was yet on his head q heavy fur cap.
A little farther on under mulberry
tree lay the body of good looking young
Confederate. He was rotund in figure and
had on what seemed to be a new suit of
gray jeans. Already the blue -fies were
lowering about the dead body, but his late
enemies, thus soon becoming familiar with
violent forms Of death, complacently gath